Victim of fear
by Horrorfana
Summary: Part two in the fear series. This follows DKR bane/bomb plot but not much else. I mix and match things from comics and movies. So what happens when scarecrow decides to drag out the fate of what could potentially be his final victim? Will Harley decide to stand up to her old multiple personality plagued boss? Will chance rise up? See apprentice of fear for part three
1. Inescapeable

A/N. Hello wonderful readers and fans! Thanks soo much for all your support and awesomeness. I'm wrapping up the third story in my chance trilogy. I recommend you guys read isolation. So that that way you would know why (spoilers :) the mad hatter kidnaps chance (i think I made him creepier then predicted) also a certain doctor elliot will make a hilarious and brief cameo. And if your wondering what any of this has to do with Michelle as a hostage...I won't ruin the ending of the second and the plot of the third. If you guys have any suggestions for funny moments you'd like to see, message me. I also need any suggestions for nightmares she might have, I already put in one of my own. I think number three is a little more jumbled yet organized feeling, which I'm going for in that one. Also let me know about any characters you guys would like to see. And don't say riddler, he's covered. So bye and happy 20 years batman tas and Harley Quinn :) !

Michelle struggled against the strait jacket that restrained her.

Why couldn't they leave me in arkham to rot? Who is this guy and why the hell does he want ME?! I'm useless. I've been locked up for three years. Granted dr arkham only kept me there so I couldn't tell anyone that they accidentally admitted a rational and sane victim. But NO! They seriously needed to suck up their pride and admit that they screwed up. It's almost funny. My original diagnosis was delusional because I told everyone that my dr, dr crane, was in fact the twisted guy who tried to kill me. Even after his misdeeds were discovered, nobody let me out. They just isolated me. And what kind of gym did this freak go to?!

As Bane pulled her to the old courthouse, Michelle stared at him in confusion.

"Um, what do you want with me?"

Bane glanced down at Michelle and returned his gaze to the courthouse.

"I don't want anything to do with you. You are simply a condition for a deal."

She gulps as they get close to the front doors.

"What kind of deal?"

Bane doesn't reply as he pulls open the door and helps Michelle to her feet. She glances into the courthouse.

"Exile it is! Next!"

Bane walks behind her as he leads Michelle into the 'courtroom'. Once they reach the middle of the room and she gets a good look at who the 'judge' is, she feels the blood drain from her face.

"Oh crap." she whispers to herself.

The scarecrow looks down at Michelle and Bane.

"What is this?" chills went down her spine.

Great, he's actually amused.

Bane releases his grip on Michelle and pushes her forward. She winces as she lands hard on her knees.

I feel like a sad puppy.

She can't help but get wide eyed as she watches the two talk.

"Your payment. I found her, right where you said she would be. Sitting in her cell at an empty Arkham asylum. Reading a book."

Michelle gulps and sinks lower to the floor. It doesn't ease her terror as crane smiles at her.

"Michelle?" she looks to the floor and nods sadly.

"Thank you. I've been wondering about this one."

"It's because of YOU that I've been locked up like some kind of nutjob! I haven't been alowed any contact with anyone for years! All because of you and your sick experiments!"

He cocked an eyebrow.

"Actually, I believe you can thank dr arkham for your isolation...that had to be terrifying. What with your fear of being alone and all."

Michelle straightens up and scowls at crane as she fumes with anger.

"You crazy, evil, son of a..."

She is interrupted by Banes hand clamping over her mouth. Crane turns around.

"Why don't you show my new houseguest where she'll be staying? And get her some appropriate attire while your at it."

Michelle frowns as she looks at her white cotton dress under her jacket. Bane releases his grip and pulls her to her feet as a blonde girl comes out from behind the stand and guides Michelle out of the courtroom. They go thru a few winding hallways before coming to an office that had been converted into a large living room. Harley turns Michelle to face her.

"If I undo your jacket, will you cooperate? The guards out front are trained to shoot any girl that comes out of the building."

Michelle nods and Harley gets to work on undoing the strait jacket.

"So, your Harley Quinn now, I heard what happened after I was transferred to crane. Where's the joker? And why are you here? Why can't you leave?"

Harley releases a lock.

"First question, mr j was in arkham when this hit the fan. I had been out for a week. So he decided to just go to metropolis to wait this mess out. Second, I know that I'm strong but without mr j or red, I'm no match if a few gangs team up on me. And in case you haven't noticed, there aren't many girls here. I'm sure their all hiding out somewhere but I heard red tell me she was going to sneak them out. That was three weeks ago. So seeing that I was guy bait, I decided to get some protection. Dr crane let me stay here since we used to know each other, but I can't leave. All I do is boring chores, red would have a fit about equal rights and junk if she knew. I do that and stay here, and I get to live. Third, I can't leave because apparently dr crane doesn't want his 'home' to gather dirt and grime like the rest of the city. So he's not about to let his maid leave."

Michelle relaxed as Harley slipped the jacket off.

"If your gonna die in a few months anyway, what've you got to lose?"

Harley stepped in front of her. "Because if I've only got a few months, I'd much rather hope that mr j gets me out of this grimy hell hole that has become Gotham than off myself. I mean, what would he say at my funeral?! He'd be so disappointed in me."

Harley takes her hand and leads her up a staircase. They go down a hallway and stop at a door.

"Your room. He thought you got killed but just in case..."

Harley opens the door to a large bedroom. Michelle follows her inside and sits on the end of the bed. She watches as Harley walks over to a closet and begins to look thru a pile of clothes. Michelle feels nauseous as a thought pops in her mind.

"Um Harley, what does dr crane want to do to me?"

Harley returns with a short blue dress and sits down next to her.

"Well, he won't kill you since it took him so long to find you, and I'm sure he doesn't want to experiment on you anymore since he talks about you so much. So much its almost like he wants to make you into..."

Michelle turns to Harley who has gotten wide eyed.

"What? Make me into what?!"

Harley shakes her head and a smile returns to her face.

"Relax. I'm probably wrong. Do you like blue?"

Harley hands Michelle the dress and she stands up.

"Where's the bathroom?"

Harley gets up. "Across the hall. Right next to Johnnys room."

Michelle surpresses a chill as she walks to the bathroom and gets changed.

"Um Harley, turn me into what?"

Harley walks over and leans against the wall next to the bathroom door.

"It doesn't matter but...think about it. He's practically obsessed with how you managed to survive and it's like he's crushing on you. But you didnt hear that from me. I'm probably wrong. After all, I haven't been able to stop thinking about mr j since everything went down. And you know it's bad if I just said, went down. Don't worry about Johnny, he's a good guy."

Michelle admired the dress in the mirror and frowned.

This isn't fair! I'm locked away, cut off from the outside world for three years, and I'm stuck with the pyscho who put me there?!


	2. Forced company

"Um M? If you're hungry, dinners downstairs. I made meatloaf." Harley nervously listened for Michelle to reply from the other side of the bedroom door.

"Is HE there?!".

Harley leaned against the door to the hall closet. "No...".

Michelle angrily pulled the covers over her head. "You're lying. The last thing I want to top off the worst day of my life with is seeing my worst enemy."

Harley walks into Michelles room and stands at the end of the bed with her arms crossed. "Look, I know this sucks but the best thing you can do is roll with it."

Harley sighs and sits down at the end of the bed. "One very hard lesson I learned from mr j was to never ever act like a stubborn teenager and ignore him."

Michelle got out of bed and scowled at Harley. "In case you haven't noticed, I AM a teenager. Tell him I'm not hungry. That my appetite diminished when bad memories of Halloween came back."

Harley cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure? He'll be mad."

Michelle walks to the door and geastures for Harley to leave. "I don't care. He stopped scaring me years ago."

Harley gets up and leaves the room. Michelle slams the door closed behind her. Harley pauses and turns back to the door.

"Ya know, I'm only trying to help you! But fine, if you wanna act like a stupid bitch, fine by me!"

Harley storms down the stairs and regains her composure as she enters the kitchen. Crane smirks at Harley.

"Is it safe to assume that she isn't hungry?" Harley nods and sets the table. Michelle walks to the corner of the room and sits on the floor. After a few minutes, she dozes off.

The next morning she smiles and stretches before opening her eyes and realizing that it hadn't been a bad nightmare. She gets out of bed and walks over to the closet wondering what time it was. As she picks up a gray dress, realization hits her and she glances back at the bed.

Didn't I sleep on the floor?

She ignores the bad feeling in her stomach and walks to the bathroom. After her shower, she relaxes. It was probably just Harley being nice. She straightens out her dress and finishes brushing her brown hair. Once she gathers the dirty clothes, she opens the door to find Harley.

"I'll take those. Breakfast is downstairs and yes he's there. You can go willingly or I can drug you, and I never was good with shots in medical school. And please be nice."

Michelle frowns and follows Harley to the stairs.

"Thanks for tucking me in last night. I must've looked like a trainwreck."

Harley turns to her confused. "That wasn't me." Harley smiles as michelle gulps.

Michelle follows Harley as she skips down the stairs. "M and Johnny sittin in a tre G." Harley giggles as she points out the door to the kitchen. Michelle resists the urge to yell at Harley as she walks into the kitchen. She grabs the plate next to crane and moves to the farthest point from him at the table. Michelle ate her breakfast staring at her plate. Only once she was halfway done did crane clear his throat.

"So, you really should wear blue more often. It looks nice on you."

Michelle gripped her fork tightly. "Thanks. But please don't do that again. It's kinda weird."

Crane chuckles. "Well you are my guest. And seeing that your going to be here for a while, might as well get to know each other better. How is it that you survived that night?"

Michelle sets down her fork and looks up at him. "After you tried to kill me? Huh, after your first attempt I woke up in my basement no longer in that stupid strait jacket. Tell bane thanks for that because after that night I freakin hate those things. So I felt weak and I was wheezing. So I gathered my strength and crawled up the stairs. I found my cell phone and called for help. After the other two times...I guess I got immune."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "You do realize how odd it is that you lived the first time? I was foolish back then. Careless. Maybe if you didn't know my identity I wouldnt have had to come after you in arkham. Once they put you in solitary I assumed you were dead. They simply said you were gone. Little did i know you were jerrys dirty little secret. Are you still afraid of isolation?"

Michelle smirked. "After try number three I realized that I'd been alone before and that maybe being alone could protect me from dying. So I put up with all the bull Jerry gave me about my delusions of you. Stupid ass just avoiding another lawsuit. You expect me to get over everything you did to me and start making out?! In my opinion you are the single most evil person I have ever met. And the fact that I hate you means a lot considering that I'm a passive person. I would much rather wait out my days alone at arkham than with you and the clown puppet."

He leans back against his chair. "I deserve that. But I am sorry about the distress I have caused your psyche. The years have done you well. You are quite lovely. Believe it if you will but I have a certain respect for you. Thats why I asked for you in return to my judicial services."

Michelle gets up and takes her plate to the sink. "Just because I have to die here, doesn't mean I have to spend that time with you. Dr crane." Michelle smiled to herself as she hissed out his name like venom.

"Actually yes you do. Willingly or not. Although I hope you come to our date tonight willingly. A drugged date is useless for conversation."


	3. Date

Michelle frowned as Harley was in the process of turning her into some kind of hot topic barbie for her 'date'.

"What are you doing to my hair?!" Harley huffed as she continued to experiment with Michelles hair.

"It's called highlights, M. Besides blue looks good on you. It's just a few streaks. Don't worry, their temporary."

Michelle winced at the bad smell of cheap hair dye. "First the nails now my hair? What is your deal with color cordination?"

Harley stopped messing with her hair and washed her hands. "If you think your out of the blue woods, you've got another thing coming. Just wait til you see your dress!" Harley runs out of the bathroom and returns with a sparkling blue strapless minidress.

"If you think I'm going to wear that..." A smile spreads across harleys face as she enters the bathroom and nods. Michelle crosses her arms angrily.

Harley frowns. "Listen, I'm sorry about your makeover, but I don't have anyone to get dolled up for anymore. So please do this for me. I kinda need to keep my brain busy, so I'm gonna have to play matchmaker!" Harley smiled and Michelle sighs as she takes the dress.

"Fine. But never again." Michelle glares at Harley as she watches her leave the bathroom. A few minutes later she comes out and Harley looks her over. "So now for the makeup. I was thinkin blue to bring out your eyes."

Michelle smirks. "Geez, it's not like I even want to go on this date. You don't have to do this much for nothing." Harleys smile fades and she looks at Michelle sadly. Michelle notices this and sighs.

"But if you want to channel your makeup genius on me, go ahead." Harley smiles and leads Michelle back into the bathroom. An hour later Michelle wobbles down the stairs.

Note to self: don't let Harley pick heels.

She is frowning as she walks into the dimly lit kitchen. Crane holds a chair out for her and she takes the seat with a huff. He takes the seat across from her and smiles as he looks her over.

"You really look good in blue." Michelle rolls her eyes then looks back to him.

"I do like the color but if you like the two dollar whore look, I'm sure they still roam the streets." Crane smirks.

"Why would I go for common street scum when I've got a blue beauty sitting in front of me?"

Michelle gulps nervously. "Let's just get this stupid date over with." He shrugs. "Harley!" Harley comes rushing into the kitchen with two glasses of water. She smiles a nervous and possibly forced smile at Michelle. As she leaves she scowls at crane. Michelle takes a big sip to give her a moment to think before setting the glass on the table.

Crane smiles at her and chills go down her spine.

How does he do that? Does anybody smile like that? He reminds me of Norman bates. That can't be good.

She snaps out of her thoughts as Harley comes in with two steak dinners. As she's leaving Michelle could swear she heard a faint, "I'm so sorry, reds gonna kill me." Michelle shrugs and takes a bite. Crane begins eating and watches her with curiousity. "How's the steak?" Michelle smiles. "Pretty good. I guess I should expect it to be burned but whatever." She takes another sip of her water.

She frowns at her steak. Crane cocks an eyebrow as he finishes his. "What's wrong?" Michelle chuckles. "This is gonna sound weird, but I'm not hungry anymore." She finishes her glass of water.

Crane walks over and puts his hand out to help her up. She smiles and takes it. He leads her into the living room and signals for her to sit on the couch while he goes over to the tv.

"Um, crane? What are you doing?" He hooks up a camera to the tv and sits down next to Michelle as he turns the tv. "I wanted to show this to you. You didn't see what I saw that night."

Before she can question him further she sees herself on the tv. "T-That's three years old." He nods and wraps an arm around her shoulders. She winces at the ear piercing screams coming from the tv and covers her ears.

"Turn it down!" Crane pushes the mute button and Michelle begins to cry.

"What the hell is wrong with me?!" He smiles and pulls her chin up. "You have no idea. My little blue beauty."


	4. Fyi

Okay so I'm sorry for taking so long to update. This next chapter is one of the darker ones. Just remember, he has multiple personalities. Also the whole lab thing was not part of his big plan... I'm currently wrapping up pt three. It's actually more creepy and violent. But hey, what else do you expect when Dr crane goes wild with his methods? Okay enjoy!


	5. Things get real

Michelle wakes up to a pounding headache.

Ok think, there was that jacked up video and then...I don't remember. She sits up in bed and almost screams once she notices that she's in her underwear.

"Harley!"

Harley runs into her room and carefully closes the door behind her. Once she looks over at Michelle she breathes a sigh of relief. Michelle begins to panic.

"What..when..what?"

Harley grabs a robe out of the closet and sits down by Michelles feet. "You have no idea how relieved I am. I'm not the worst friend in history after all!" Michelle scowls at her as she puts on the black robe. "What the hell did you do to me?!"

Harleys face drops. "Oh. Well don't hate me, he made me do it!" Michelle stands up and crosses her arms as she stares down Harley. "What did he make you do exactly?!"

Harley gulps and sinks back. "It could've been worse. Much worse. But...he made me slip you something."

Michelle gets wide eyed as she puts her head in her hand. "What? That drug?!" Harley laughs and looks back at Michelle.

"In this citys condition? No, it was strong antidepressants."

Michelle relaxes and sits down next to Harley. "Why dont I..."

Harley pats her back.

"Remember? Side effects include, loss of appitite, mood swings, sudden happiness, mild sedation, and memory loss. I thought the worst."

Michelle turns to Harley. "So basically you in pill form. How did I..?"

Harley hugs her. "He made me slip it into your water. Oh thank you so much for being ok." Michelle shoves Harley off of her. "Why did you do it?!"

Harley frowns. "He threatened to take away my last picture of mr j. That and my costume." Michelle pushes herself off the bed and storms to the door.

"Are you mad?" Michelle pauses before opening the door. "No duh, batman."

She storms out of the room and across the hall. She then loudly bangs against the door before she hears a sleepy reply.

"Yeah?"

Michelle considers storming in but holds back.

"You can go rot in arkham you crazy, evil, dirty, perverted little...how dare you try and...after drugging me?! What is wrong with you?!"

Crane opens the door and smirks. "You should be thanking me for holding back. My predictions were right, you have a very Intresting past. I guess I now know where that fear of isolation originated. Tell me, how did it feel growing up practically on your own. What with your mother constantly gone?"

Michelle huffed. "You have no right! That information is private! You drugged me!"

He chuckles. "And you turned into an open book...correction, more like an audio book on your life. You cried a lot too. Then there was a small bout of anger twords a girl from your high school named Stacey. We have a few things in common, I was picked on as well."

Michelle slaps him and crosses her arms. "We have nothing in common you freak! I'm a victim and you're just an egotistical bully!"

His smug look diminishes and is replaced by anger. "Take it back. I'm no bully." Michelle smirks. "Did I hit a nerve? I don't take it back. Not. One. Bit." Crane grabs her arm and pulls her to the stairs catching Michelle off guard.

"Hey! Where are we going?!"

He leads her down the stairs to the living room. "The lab. You think I'm a bully?! I'll show you what I do to them."

Michelle struggles against his grip to no prevail. "I'm immune, remember?" A menacing smile spreads across his face.

"Then I'll keep trying until your screaming on the floor."

Michelle tries to claw at his hand and is too distracted to notice the syringe going into her neck. Crane let's her fall to the floor and tosses the syringe aside.

"Harley! I need your help!"

Harley comes down the stairs and gets wide eyed as she takes in the scene.

"Take her to the lab. Let's see how strong her immunity is."

Harley scowls at him and crosses her arms.

"No. You've done enough. She's my friend." Crane stiffens and turns to her. "What?!" Harley stares bullets thru his back.

"I said no."

He spins around and backhands Harley. She pauses for a moment in stunned silence before walking up to crane. She rests her hands on his shoulders and smiles before promptly kneeing him with all her strength. She fumes with anger as he falls to his knees.

"Don't you dare! Only mr j gets to touch me! If you EVER lay a hand on me again, do you know what they do to pervs in some country's? They castrate them. Remember, I went to medical school. If you want her in the lab, do it yourself, that is if you can stand, Dr crane."

Harley storms up the stairs. She runs to her bedroom at the end of the hall and slams the door behind her. She grabs her framed picture of the joker and her costume before sinking to the floor, crying.

"What have I done?! Poor Michelle."

She gets up and sets the picture with her costume on the bed before walking to her dresser and pulling open the top drawer. She reaches into the back and retrieves her cell phone. She turns it on and smiles at the one bar of service. She quickly dials the number and frowns.

"The number you have dialed has been disconnected..."

Harley then pauses before dialing the only other familiar number to her. She nervously peaks down the hallway to confirm the coast was clear. She smiles as the other end picks up.

"Harley! Where are you? Please tell me you got out!"

Harley frowns as she walks to her window. "I'm sorry red. I kinda got stuck. Dr crane offered me protection and and...it was all fine until I helped him with this girl and...I did something bad. Please don't hate me but he threatened me!"

Harley frowns at the snow falling over the city. "What did you do?" Harley gulps before confessing. "I helped crane drug her. And and nothing happened! I'm so happy nothing happened but she yelled at him and he drugged her again and he wanted me to help him carry her so he could do...who knows what to her in his lab! I told him no and he hit me and and this'll make you happy red, I kneed the perv!"

Harley pauses and waits for her friends response. She hears ivy take a deep breath. "Ok harl. First you need to get this poor girl and both of you need to get the hell out of Gotham. Then if Gotham isn't blown to rubble, I'm going to give the good doctor a piece of my mind. Good job by the way. If he does it again, get out of there. But until then, come up with a way to get out of the city. Where's the girl now?"

The first thing Michelle sees when she wakes up is crane working over several tubes of liquid across the room. She tries to sit up but finds that she can't move. She looks down to find that she is strapped to a metal gurney.

"No point in wasting your energy."

Michelle relaxes against the table as she scowls at crane.

"What did Harley have to say about this?!" Crane fills a syringe without looking to her as he responds. "She's stronger than she looks."

Michelle looks at him in confusion as he walks over to her with a slight limp. She forces a sympathetic smile.

"Please, whatever your about to do, don't do it...Johnny. You don't want to hurt me, I'm your little blue beauty." She gives him the saddest eyes she could manage as he gently strokes her cheek.

"Your quite the little manipulator aren't you? It's much easier to fake an emotion with big eyes. You must've picked that trick up some time ago. I'm impressed, but I'm not letting you go until I find a formula that works on you. You're right. I don't want to hurt you...but I have to."

He injects her in her left arm, she shuts her eyes in anticipation. After two minutes, crane sighs and Michelle looks at him as he pulls out another syringe.

"Stronger potency." Michelle winces as he injects it into her arm. After another two minutes crane pulls out another syringe. He stabs it into her arm and waits the two minutes, growing annoyed. He picks up another syringe and pauses to look at her.

"This would kill most people within seconds." He stabs it into her arm and after a few seconds Michelle feels a sudden kick from inside her head and let's her head drop to the table. Crane leans over and stares at her with curiousity.

"What are you seeing?" Michelle relaxes. "Well, your staring at me. Nothing weird or trippy. But I do have a killer headache." Michelle winces at the pounding within her head. Crane gets wide eyed and undoes her restraints.

She sits up and slides of the table. She feels her knees get wobbly and almost falls but crane catches her. "I'm really dizzy." He walks her over to a desk chair and let's her sit down. She rubs her temples. "Ow." He leans against the wall and watches her with a smirk. "It appears all I've done is give you a hangover."

Michelle winces. "Stop talking. It hurts." Crane chuckles. "You'll live, I'll grab some aspirin." He walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a bottle. He hands her a couple pills and a glass of water. She stares at the glass and then him.

"You wouldnt be trying to do your favorite activity of drugging me again, would you?"

He shrugs. "You don't have to take it. But I'm not drugging you my blue beauty. Trust me."

She presses her lips together before relaxing and taking the pills and drinking the water. She hands him the empty glass and feels the pulsing slow. Michelle smiles as the pain goes away. "Thanks." He pulls up a chair next to hers and sits down. He pets her head gently.

"You're full of surprises. You know, although you mentioned her, you never mentioned what Stacey did to you in high school."

Michelle gulps and closes her eyes. "Back in the ninth grade I didn't have any friends. So I followed around the popular girls for a while. Eventually they let me join them. I sat with them every day at lunch. Over time I stopped eating lunch. Because Stacey would go over the disgusting details of her latest sexual experience. She literally had a different boyfriend every week. She had already slept with every guy in the grade. It was like a game to her. I remember every monday morning the other girls would play a game and take bets on who it was that week. I actually feel bad for the guys. They got used up, tossed aside, and replaced each week. Try eating when she was talking about that. One day, she was home sick. I decided to have a coke rather than nothing. One of the girls was telling this stomach retching tale of how she once tried to combine cutting with homeade plastic surgery. I'll spare you the details but it was deeply disturbing and it involved cotton balls. The story made me spit up some coke and...you know Carrie? Well they were shouting at me and throwing napkins. It was humiliating. I had to run out and hide in the bathroom for twenty minutes before I stopped crying. It wasn't even that much. Just a few drops of coke. When I got back to class, they had trashed my stuff and I was kicked out of the group. Stacey was the worst one to shun me upon her return. She kicked me to the reject table and shoved me constantly. This one boy had a crush on me and she side stepped me when he was asking me out to talk about their sexual ventures in front of me. She's a sick, twisted, trashy, bitch! Thanks to her, the other kids treated me like a disease. They called me disgusting. I think she told them I caught something...but I've never liked a guy before so how could I even...? My friends before I met Stacey ditched me and I've been alone ever since. My mom never was home very much, even when she was, she ignored me. I've been alone long before arkham. I just didn't get it. Those girls cut and drank and smoked and drugged and slept their way thru school. The worst I've ever done was lie. So why did I become the freaky outcast?! That's why I can't stand Stacey."

Michelle smiles and rests against cranes chest. "That felt good." He pushes a loose hair behind her ear. "Believe it or not, therapy does actually work when you've got something on your chest. It builds itself up and manifests as a fear until you release it and expose your deep hatred for it."

Michelle opens her eyes and looks up at him. "You know, after you were incarcerated, I never had another therapist. Just unjustifiable isolation. You were my last therapist. And the irony is...you didn't help me, you gassed me the third time. At least you got caught soon after that. Back when you gassed the city. The only real therapy I ever got was with...Dr quinnzel. Wow thats the icing on the irony cake."

Crane wraps an arm around Michelle and looks down at her blue eyes. "You were her first patient too. I think you scared her. With the quivering mess you were. Harley didn't even pick up what was going on when I changed your meds and you had another 'episode'. She got suspicious when they realized that I had altered your meds though. That's why I had her transferred to her dream patient. It took me a year to get caught after that. Since you were the first survivor, I didn't know how to cause any permernant damage. The look on those guards faces as you began wheezing when they dragged you out of my office...was priceless."

Michelle looks at crane in confusion. "Wait...you are the reason why Harley...and joker. Does she know?" Crane pulls her closer. "Of corse. But she doesn't know that I was trying to kill you or herself. I honestly thought joker would take her out in a week."

Harley was pacing back and forth across her room as she tried to avoid her nervous breakdown by talking it out, over the phone, with ivy.

"How could I have been so stupid?! One guy tries to jump me and I run to crane like a coward! If mr j knew he'd be so mad. I should have found an appartment and waited for you but there was all this shooting and craziness. It was worse than when mr j took over. Not that was bad or anything! But I don't know how I'm supposed to get out of here."

Harley hears a creak and looks into the hallway. She sees crane leading Michelle to her room. Michelle wipes away some loose tears and says goodnight to crane before going into her room. Harley hides her phone behind her back just as crane walks to her room and smiles smugly at her.

"What happened?! This morning she wanted to kill you and last I saw, you wanted to torture her. Now she looks like she had a psychological breakthru!"

Crane steps closer to the cracked door. "It seems my little blue beauty has more than family issues that caused her isolation phobia. Her social life was worse. You'd be amazed how much someone who's spend so much time alone would love nothing more than to talk. It's nice having a patient as a psychiatrist again. She'll open up more and more until she trusts me completely."

Harley fumed with anger. "How dare you try to manipulate an innocent girl into falling in love with you!"

Crane smirks. "What's wrong? Hit too close to home Dr quinnzel?"

Harley grows silent and Crane walks away. She closes the door and puts the phone to her ear.

"How dare he! Mr j and I are really in love! I'm nothing like Michelle!" Ivy groans on the other end. "If you want to prove that you're nothing like her, why dont you watch them and convince her to stay away from him?"

Harley smiles. "Thanks red! That's a great idea!" She hangs up the phone and hides it before sneaking down the hall and lightly knocking on Michelles door.

"Come in." Harley forces a smile as she walks inside to find Michelle sitting at the end of the bed, trying to wipe away her tear stains with a tissue. Harley sits down next to the smiling Michelle.

"What happened down there?"

Michelle grabs another tissue. "After I proved my immunity, we talked. I got some high school junk off my chest. I cried a lot. It felt so good to talk to someone."

Harley gives Michelle a friendly hug. "I used to be a doctor too. You can talk to me." Michelle pulls away.

"Yeah but you wouldn't get it. I need someone who knows what I'm going thru. Sorry, but you were a gymnastics girl who always had a guy wrapped around your finger. Your nothing like me Harley."

Harley frowns. The words should comfort her but they just made her feel uneasy.

"Just remember who he is. He's a psychopath and master manipulator. Watch out." Harley gets up and walks to the door.

"Just like your boyfriend. I think you've been here too long. Your imagining things."

Harley turns and scowls at Michelle before leaving and closing the door behind her.


	6. Plans and consequences

Harley kept a close but distant eye on Michelle over the next month. A pattern had formed. Sure, there were slight changes in it from time to time, but altogether it stayed the same.

Every morning after Harley ate breakfast she called down crane and then Michelle. Then after breakfast crane went to judge duty, Michelle usually read or watched tv. Crane was back in time for dinner and after he talked to her for hours, until she goes to bed after becoming exhausted from crying. Harley avoided listening to their conversations. Once a week she would update an increasingly alarmed ivy.

However, after a month, Harley decided to spy on them from the top of the stairs. She didnt dare try and watch them for fear of getting caught. But she listened as Michelle went on.

"...I guess I could have tried to hang out with them. But I was just so nervous. And when I got up to talk to them, I had to sit back down. I had started wheezing again. I hate panic attacks. This one was pretty bad. After I choked down my fast breathing, I got back up to talk but I felt really dizzy and before I knew it...I passed out. Fifteen minutes later, you'd think someone would take me to the nurses office but no. I was alone on the cold hard floor. Apparently the other kids had sidestepped me on their way to lunch. You can't help but feel invisable after that."

Harley heard them get up and she runs to her room before they reach the top of the stairs. Harley watches as Michelle says goodnight to crane but before she can go back to her room, he stops her.

"Tomorrow we'll return the conversation to ninth grade."

Harley was surprised by Michelle as she began trembling and nodded as she walked into her room.

What is he doing to you?!

She doesn't close the door in time and crane walks over to her room.

"See something Intresting?" Harley gulps and takes a deep breath.

"What are you doing to that poor girl?"

Crane smirks. "It's amazing the impact repeating traumatic memories has on ones psyche. Almost as if those forgot fears resurface. Isolation. Caused by years of mental trauma. Nothing had much of an impact until high school however."

Harley stops and thinks for a moment.

"But won't that cause a mental breakdown?!"

Crane takes a step closer to Harley. "Yes. Which will allow me to rebuild her to my liking. Isn't the mind fascinating?"

Harley storms out of her room and walks right up to crane.

"If you expect me to just sit back and let you destroy an innocent girls life...!"

Crane leans over Harley and smiles menacingly.

"What life? Its only a matter of time before shes gone for good. And if you don't like it, you're free to go...oh wait I forgot, those sniper guards out front. I intend for you to watch me slowly bend her mind, there's nothing you can do. Think of this as my final act of revenge. It's not much, but anything to help quench my hatred for the clown. He destroyed up my lab during his last little 'outing' tell me Harley, how does it feel to watch someone go thru what you did? It's driving you further into insanity I'm sure."  
Harley nervously backs into the wall. "That's jacked up. You can't do that! What kind of revenge is it if mr j never knows?"

Crane walks over to Harley so he is towering over her again.

"It's satisfying for me. Seeing not one, but two cowering in fear of me during gothams final moments. Then have one bent to my will. Basking in fear and desperation. It's the most satisfying end I can think of."

Harley feels her knees get weak and she slides down the wall to the floor. Crane chuckles and walks to his room. Harley gets up and dashes into her room. She runs to the dresser and retrieves her phone before frantically dialing the number. Once the other end picks up, Harley starts sobbing.

"Crane is trying to mess with me too. He is trying to change Michelle and he is trying to scare me! I'm just so sick of staying in the background, being number two. Everyone always pushes me around. Ya know what?! I'm gonna do what I want for once! I'm gonna take charge and get Michelle and get out of this doomed city! If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna do something good. Thanks red!"

Harley hangs up the phone and hides it again.

Michelle woke up the next morning to the smell of breakfast. After yawning and getting up out of bed, she grabs her robe and walks downstairs. She is welcomed by a plate of bacon in the kitchen. Harley is eating at the table alone. She looks up surprised as Michelle grabs a plate and sits down.

"Bacon?"

Harley smiles. "I had two packages. I'm saving the last one for a special occasion. So...your opening up a lot lately."

Michelle takes a bite and raises an eyebrow.

"What are you implying?"

Harley shrugs. "Nothing. It's just that...you've been crying so much. I'm worried about you." Michelle huffs.

"Jon has been really nice lately. I don't see why everybody hates him. You have no idea how good talking feels. It's just that..."

Harley leans forward. "What?"

Michelle gulps and looks away.

"Sometimes I don't want to talk about those things. It's weird...I just get so mad when I remember and then next thing I know I'm crying. Every time we talk I feel like I'm becoming more and more of a wreck. What the hell is going on?!"

Harley smiles to herself. "If your not comfortable, then don't talk about those things."

Michelle looks down and takes another bite. "I know but he always brings the subject back to those...bad memories. I try and talk about something else and he pressures me to go back to the past. It hurts. But after I channel my sadness, I feel...good, empowered. Like I've got some control. I hate being sad. But being mad is so much better. You know?"

Harley gulps and nods. "Just tell him next time you see him."

Michelle smiles and takes another bite of her breakfast. "I will."

Michelle feels someone squeeze her shoulder and sees Harley tense slightly.

"You will what, child?"

Michelle gulps and Harley nods.

"Tell you...tell you...tell you...I don't really wanna talk about eleventh grade today. I dont like the bad memories. Shouldn't we focus on good ones?"

Michelle nervously presses her lips together as she begins lightly trembling. Harley raises an eyebrow as crane sighs.

"If you wish, but I thought we were making such progress. But if you really want to start over..."

Michelle gets wide eyed and tries to fight the shakiness in her voice.

"No! No I'm ok. I just thought I should ask. I don't wanna start over, I want to finish and move on. I'm sick of being sad..."

He loosens his grip and pats her on the head before whispering in her ear.

"And afraid. I'm very proud of you. I look forward to our discussion tonight."

He let's go and walks out of the kitchen. As the door closes, Michelle takes a deep breath and tries to hold back her wheezing. Harley gets up and runs over to Michelle.

"Are you ok?!"

Michelle nods as tears stream down her face and she pulls her knees to her chest. She struggles to speak thru her fast breaths.

"Pan...panic...attack."

Harley pulls her chair by Michelle.

"Calm down!"

Michelle scowls at Harley. "Can't..."

She takes a deep breath and tries to stop trembling.

"Feels...like...throat...closing."

Harley grabs Michelles wrist and stares at the wall clock.

After a minute she grips Michelles hand, heartbeat: 130 bpm. Michelle desperately tries to slow down her breathing as Harley starts to get anxious.

"How often do you get these?!"

Michelle gasps as she takes another deep breath.

"Normally...only...when.." Another gasp. "Scared...but...more.." Gasp. "Often...lately...they've...been.." Gasp. "Getting...worse.."

Harley nods as Michelles breath quickens until her eyelids flutter and she passes out.

Harley catches her before she hits the floor. After laying Michelle out on the couch, Harley storms out the door and finds crane leaning against a wall, reading. Harley storms up to him and puts her arms on either side of him.

He's not gonna get away with this!

He casually marks his place and tosses aside the book. An annoyed look on his face.

"Can I help you?"

Harley stares bullets thru him. "You little...she just had a panic attack!"

He shrugs almost bored. "So?"

Harley deserately tries to boil down her anger. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had to deal with a panic attack?! But I've never seen one that violent! She was shaking and wheezing and crying. Her heart rate was 130! This is low even for you Crane!"

Crane smirks and easily pushes Harley away from him. "Crying? That's new. Where is she?"

Harley stared at him, dumbfounded. "The couch..."

Crane walks past her to the living room where he gets down to eye level as Michelle. He feels her neck for a pulse and Harley angrily crosses her arms as she enters the living room. Before she can say anything crane interupts her.

"How long since she fainted?"

Harley glances at the clock. "Forty minutes."

Crane smiles and nods. "Her most intense attack thus far. Her old record was fifteen. I wonder what her emotional state will be once she regains consiousness."

After a minute of stunned silence, Harley speaks up.

"Why? Why don't you just leave this kid alone? You've done enough."

Crane turns to her to answer but Michelle stirs and opens her eyes.

"How long was I out?"

Crane helps her into a sitting position on the couch.

"Fourty. How do you feel?"

Michelle rubs her head. "Ok. I'm exhausted but ok. I'm not scared anymore."

Crane pats her arm. "Very good. You're making progress. Remember when you would wake up screaming or frightened?"

Michelle nods and feels her eyelids start to droop.

"Let's get you to bed. Your body's been thru a lot." Michelle nods and crane helps her up.

She almost falls and Harley holds on to her for support as she walks Michelle upstairs to her room and let's her fall asleep before closing the door and going to her own room.


	7. Fear behind the scream

Michelle woke up to her eyes stinging from crying a few hours earlier.

She sits up in her bed and notices crane sitting by her feet. Before she can ask he speaks up.

"Did you say anything during the attack? Don't lie."

Michelle gulps and thinks back. "Only that I've been getting them more and they're getting worse."

Crane nods. "If you could get over the sadness that binds you, they would stop altogether. Last week you mentioned a boy from ninth grade. Tell me about him."

Michelle raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms. "I don't think so. Ever since you claimed you were 'helping' me, I've gotten worse. No. I refuse to talk about my past anymore."

Michelle gulps as crane gets up and towers over her.

"I see. That really is a shame. Perhaps it's time for a different approach. How does that sound, Michelle?"

Michelle pauses and thinks before answering.

"Ok. Your not gonna hurt me, right?"

Crane smiles. "Oh dear child, I have no intention of hurting you physically. Your new treatment will begin tonight. I'll have Harley help you get ready. Things should get Intresting."

Crane walks out of the room and Michelle shouts after him. "What about mentally?!"

-

Harley had no idea what crane was planning for Michelle, but he had been gone most of the afternoon. Right up until an hour before.

If he hurts her...

Harley snapped out of her thoughts as she finished touching up on Michelles hair streaks.

"All done. So um...he asked for you to wear the arkham dress. I don't know why... I'm sure you'll be ok. In fact he's actually...happier than usual."

Michelle looks at Harley in the mirror and notes her anxious expression.

"I don't think he wants to hurt me after getting to know me so much. Maybe it's another date or something."

Harley forces a smile. "Yeah, maybe."

/

Once finished getting ready, Michelle cautiously walks down the stairs to meet crane in the living room. She studies his excited expression as he grabs her hand and guides her past the kitchen.

Eventually they reach the basement stairs and go down. Michelle follows crane into a dark room.

She winces as the floresent lights come on. Once her vision clears, she sees a girl tied up in the middle of the room.

Oh crap.

Michelle looks around the room and sees a tv next to the girl and a small table in front of her. As she steps further into the room, crane closes and locks the door behind her. She turns to his smirking figure leaning against the door.

"What's going on?"

His smile widens. "Your therapy of corse. I'm sure your aware that the best way to overcome a fear is to face it head on. It's how I overcame my fear of my tormentors. And my little blue beauty, it's how you'll overcome yours."

Michelle accidentally backs into the table and turns to see what was on it. A canister, and a syringe full of a clear liquid.

What the hell?

Michelle turns back to crane as he approaches her.

"What the hell is going on? Who is she?!"

Crane raises an eyebrow, amused. He then walks over to the tv and picks up a remote before standing next to Michelle and wraping an arm firmly around her waist. Preventing her from moving.

She gulps as he smiles down at her. "I do suppose the years haven't been kind to her. That's what working the streets does to you. Predictable career path. Too predictable. I'm not surprised you don't recognize her. But don't be embarrassed, she remembers you even less. Maybe a video will jog your memory and hers."

Before Michelle can question him, he turns on the tv and what appears to be security footage pops up. She stares at the close up of herself in the cafeteria.

He can't be serious.

Her suspicions are confirmed when the three girls surrounding your younger self get up and start throwing napkins at her and laughing. As she tries to run away, one of the girls trips her, spilling her coke across her top. She then flees from the cafeteria.

The next image is of Michelle walking down the hall. She stops to talk to a boy. She is obviously nervous in a good way. Before he can respond, Stacey walks up behind her and at half a foot taller, pours a coke over Michelles head before dropping the can to hit her as well. She is shocked, then realized what happened, then the boy starts laughing with Stacey before Michelle gets slammed against the wall by Stacey. She whispers something to Michelle before kicking her leg and walking off with the boy.

Michelle looks away from the tv at crane as his grip tightens on both her waist and the remote.

"Keep watching. It gets worse Michelle."

She gulps and looks back at the screen in time to see Stacey dumping a bottle of dish soap on one of the stairs of the main staircase. After hiding, Michelle appears running down the stairs, late for class. She slips and falls down the last for steps. She hits the floor, hard and grips her wrist in pain. Stacey comes out and laughs before running away.

The final image is Michelle being cornered in a hallway. Stacey pushes her down and kicks her in the stomach before walking off.

The tv goes black and crane loosens his grip. "Do you recognize her now?"

Michelle gulps and nods at crane.

"Good. This girl caused you years of torment and fear. For your therapy, your going to show her what it feels like to be terrorized. You have two choices, the gas, or the direct approach. It's up to you."

Michelle looks nervously from the table to Stacey.

"I can't...do this."

Stacey relaxes and Michelle feels crane painfully dig his nails into her side. She winces in pain.

Crane looks down at her angrily. "Do you realize how hard it was to set this up?! Now pick one or I will for you!"

Michelle stares at the two objects on the table before pointing to the syringe. Crane releases his grip around her waist and takes a step back.

"Now pick it up."

Michelle notices that her hand is shaking as she picks up the syringe.

Crane smirks. "Now administer the treatment to the 'patient'."

Michelle freezes in place.

"No."

Crane spins her around so that she is facing him. He tightly grips her shoulders.

"Would you like to repeat that my blue beauty?!"

Michelle winces at her pet name in his angry tone.

"I won't kill her. Sure she an evil bitch but she doesn't deserve to die!"

Crane releases her shoulder to push aside the table and back her into the tv.

He calms down and gently strokes her cheek.

"It's not so bad. And once its done, you feel so good."

Michelle gulps. "I don't feel right about this. Killing someone?"

Crane moves his hand to her chin and tilts her head up. She feels her heart pounding from fear. He catches her offguard and kisses her. Michelle tenses then relaxes once he pulls away.

"Do it now."

She nods sadly and turns to Stacey.

"I'm so sorry, please don't be mad."

She then quickly spins around and tries to stab crane with the syringe. He catches her wrist and twists her hand back until she drops the syringe. She cries out in pain as she falls to her knees before he releases her. She craddles her sore wrist against her chest. He walks away from her and picks up the gas canister.

"I thought you we're ready. But I suppose I was wrong. You've disappointed me Michelle. Not only do you defy me, but you have the odacity to try and attack me! After I've done nothing but try to help you."

Michelle quietly gets up.

"It seems we'll have to go back to talking about your past. But if this defiance continues, I might have to try the antidepressants again. Such a shame."

Michelle makes a run for the door but is pulled back by her hair and thrown to the ground. Crane towers over her as she pulls her knees to her chest in fear.

"If you refuse to do your treatment, you can stay here until you do. There are security cameras so don't try anything. I'll check up on you in the morning. You'd better take care of her by then."

Crane storms out and locks the door behind him as Michelle looks over at Stacey. She gets up and pulls off the duct tape over her mouth.

"Oh, thank you so much diselle."

Michelle cocks an eyebrow. "Why did you always call me that?"

Stacey gulps. "It's short for disease ridden Michelle. Please don't kill me! I'd much rather you get what you deserve for shacking with the scarecrow. Can't say I blame you though. Hell, I'm even willing to go down on the freak if it'll get me out of this crappy basement."

Once vulgar, always vulgar.

Michelle bends down and picks up the syringe.

"How dare you! I haven't done anything and I'm here against my will. You've caused me years of panic attacks, humiliation, you broke my wrist, your boyfriend tried to take advantage of me, and you've kicked my ass countless times. I'm not a person to hold a grudge so I'll give you a chance. Appologize for what you did to me and I will let you live."

Stacey smirks and shrugs with defeat. "Yeah sure, you disappear. What a wimp. It's called life honey, I know it sucks but your stuck with it. You don't have the nerve to kill. Hell, even I did it once. Ten percent my ass. So be a good little freak and put down the syringe."

Michelle fumes with anger. "I'm not a freak."

Stacey smiles wider. "Oh yes, that's right, you're sensitive about being the size of a fifth grader. But that's ok, all guys care about is a little tna. Oh yeah. You don't have that either do you? No wonder you sleep with nutjobs."

Michelle spins around and stabs Stacey in the neck. She pauses before pushing down the plunger. Once done, she pulls out the needle and lets the syringe drop to the floor as Michelle runs and sits in the corner, hands over ears to block out screams and eyes squeezed shut.

-

Harley walks into the living room to find crane watching something on the tv. She walks up behind him and at first she assumes it's old experimentation footage. That is, until she notices Michelle in the corner. As she looks at crane she notices he is beaming with delight.

"What happened?"

Crane smirks. "Well, our dear Michelle gave in to her anger and got back at her former tormentor."

Harley stares at the screen in shock as she put two and two together.

"She killed someone."

Crane huffs. "As you can hear from the screams, she isn't dead...yet. But indeed Michelle started the countdown to her ultimate fate."

Harley walks over and blocks cranes view of the tv.

"Oh yeah, good job. You got her to kill someone AND question herself in a corner of self denial."

Crane frowns before he gets off the couch and leaves the living room. Harley turns around and watches the live feed. After a few minutes, crane steps into the room.

Well this can't be good.

He smiles directly at the camera and Harley looks away for a moment.

/

Michelle continues to bury her face in her knees as she rocks back and forth, long given up tuning out the piercing screams. She hears crane walk in but doesnt move or achnoledge him. That is, until he grabs her arm and pulls her to her feet.

Expecting him to be furious, she looks up at him only to be surprised to find him smiling at her.

"I did what you said, now let me out!"

He pulls her over so that they are facing Stacey.

"That was only the first step. This is where the real research comes into play. Listen to her screams...she is in complete and utter fear. What is she afraid of?"

Michelle shrugs. "She never told me."

He shakes his head and tsks at her. "No. Listen to her, the answer is right in the open."

Michelle puts her hands over her ears. "All I hear is loud screaming."

Crane pulls her hands to her sides. "Don't block out the screams, bask in them. She now knows what you went thru. She deserves this. If you enjoy the music of her terror, then you can hear more beneath the surface. So tell me, what do you hear?"

Michelle closes her eyes and relaxes. She listens closely. "No mommy! Not the closet! It's too small!"

Michelle opens her eyes and raises an eyebrow at crane. "Claustrophobia? That's it?"

Crane smiles and releases her hands. "Very good. Abusive mother. Explains her rage to other women. Now, is this so bad?"

Michelle pauses and shakes her head. Crane pulls her closer to him.

"Just wait until you see an unusual fear...what do you think she's seeing?"

Michelle looks over to Stacey as her eyes dart around the room and her fingers claw at the rope that binds her.

"Clawing at the door."

Crane nods and walks over to the other side of the room before returning with two chairs.

He signals for Michelle to take a seat before taking his own. She hesitantly takes the seat and watches Stacey wither in fear enduced mental agony.

After a few hours of silence other than screams, Michelle glances over at crane. She wishes she could avoid the question for longer but had been holding back for the last two hours.

"Is this almost over? I'm bored."

She is caught off guard when he chuckles.

"This isn't for your amusement. It's for educational purposes. You need to adjust to the idea of my experiments."

Michelle leans back into her chair and crosses her arms.

"All this is teaching me is that I will be as deaf as a front row rock concert tomorrow. Nothing Intresting is happening."

Crane sighs and gets up. Michelle watches as he unties Stacey.

"This should catch your attention. I normally don't bind them, tampers with results. But you wouldn't have stood a chance against her. She's harmless now...well, harmless to us."

Crane returns to his seat as Stacy falls out of the chair and starts clawing at her arms. Michelle swallows down the bile rising in her throat as Stacey doesn't stop, even when she starts bleeding. Crane smirks.

"I'm sure she regrets that manicure now. If she had any clue what was happening."

Once her arms would put any horror movie effects to shame, she begins pulling out her hair. Michelle tries to look away but can't help watching with morbid curiousity.

"So...will she have a heart attack or do herself in?"

Crane turns to her. "Depends on how much damage she does. I've seen some tear open their stomachs from desperation of insects crawling over them. Usually it's heart failure."

Michelle presses her lips together. "That's disgusting."

Crane wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer to him. She looks away from him back to the mess that had become Stacey. Blood was dripping down her face and she held large clumps of hair in her hands as she rocked back and forth. Michelle was having trouble deciding which made her more uncomfortable, Crane or Stacey. Both could be considered disturbing.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Stacey grabs her left arm and falls to the ground, still shaking until finally going limp. Crane turns to Michelle and she accidentally meets his eyes for a moment before looking away. He begins playing with a lock of her hair.

"I like your hair this way."

Michelle pulls away from him and stands up, as she notices his annoyed expression, she quickly comes up with a lie.

"Um, I don't wanna stay in a room with a dead body."

Crane relaxes and shrugs as he gets up. "I'll get Harley to take care of that. Let's go."

Michelle follows crane to the basement door. She pauses to glance back at her dead enemy.

What now?

Crane turns around to her, annoyed that she was frozen in place and grabs her hand. He pulls her out of the basement and Michelle struggles to keep up. By the time they pass the kitchen, Michelle is practically running to keep up.

"In case you forgot, I'm nearly a foot shorter than you. So can you please stop making me run a marathon?"

Crane stops and Michelle tries to catch her breath. She starts panting and he lifts up her chin so that he can stare thru her. She tries to look away but can't.

What's with that stare? It's like he knows what I'm thinking. Kinda creepy. I think he knows how uncomfortable it makes people. Why else would he do it?

"Feeling better now?"

Michelle nods and crane smiles before walking into the living room with her close behind. He sits on the couch and turns off the tv. Crane turns to Harley scowling at him.

"Take care of the experiment."

Harley fumes as she storms out of the living room. Michelle sits down next to crane on the couch. As Harley passes the kitchen, Michelle could distinctly hear Harley muttering to herself in a forced valley girl voice.

"Oh Dr Crane, why don't you clean your own damn mess, it's not like your little blue beauty is gonna let you do anything just because you stare at her like a serial killer."

Michelle gulps.


	8. Chance

Michelle wakes up on the couch. She stretches her neck uncomfortably as she sits up.

She glances down at the blanket that had been tucked in around her and smirks. She thinks back to when she crashed at ten.

Well no wonder after the single most emotional day of my life. Let's see, I kissed, I killed, and I panicked. Yeah, another Tuesday in Gotham.

She stands up and walks into the kitchen as she rubs her stiff neck. She opens the door to find Harley drinking a cup of coffee while staring at a picture of the bridge leading out of Gotham. Michelle pours herself a cup and sits down next to Harley.

"Whatcha doin?"

Harley looks up, tired, and smiles weakly.

"I've been up all night...I have a plan."

Michelle takes a sip and looks at the picture.

"What kind of plan?"

Harley scoots closer to Michelle and looks around before whispering. "To get out of Gotham. I need your help, are you in?"

Michelle looks at Harley and gets wide eyed once she realizes she's serious.

"How?" Harley slides over the picture.

"Under the bridge, we can climb across from underneath by the support beams. We don't get caught, everyone's in a panic over the bomb and we get out just in time."

Michelle clears her throat. "Where do I fit in?"

Harley leans back in her chair. "Crane. Drug him the night before, we sneak out first thing in the morning, I sedate the snipers, I've been hiding drugs. Then we get as far away from this hopeless city as we can before it's blown to rubble. Are you in? We only have a few weeks."

Michelle pauses and thinks.

"What do I have to lose?"

Harley beams with delight. "If we're gonna go on a secret mission, we need code names. I'll call you chance. And you can call me..."

Michelle cuts Harley off. "I dont need a nickname. Where did you get that anyway?"

Harley shrugs. "It fits you and sounds cool, chance."

Michelle shrugs. "That's never gonna stick."

Harley smiles as she folds the picture and puts it in her pocket. "We'll see."

Crane walks into the kitchen and looks over to Michelle.

"How did you sleep?"

She smirks. "About as good as any college kid who was too lazy to go to bed, my neck hurts. I hate sleeping on the couch, haven't done it since middle school."

Crane leans against the wall.

"I'm sure it's better than the cots at arkham."

Harley gets up and refils her cup.

"Yeah, before you got here, when's the last time you had a decent bed, chance?"

Crane raises an eyebrow.

"Chance?"

Harley beams a smile.

"Yeah, for Michelle. Her name is such a mouthful, chance slides off the tongue. That's her new nickname."

Crane nods to himself. "Intresting."

Michelle rubs her forehead from frustration. "I don't need a nickname."

Crane walks over and gently squeezes Michelles shoulders.

"I like it. Don't you...chance?"

Michelle let's her head drop to the table. "I hate nicknames." Crane squeezes her shoulders tighter and whispers in her ear.

"Too bad."

She smiles. "That feels nice. Thanks."

A week later chance was sitting on the chair in Harleys room barely listening to her rambling.

"Are you even listening, chance?" Chance looks up at Harley, clearly annoyed.

"How long do we have? I haven't seen crane in nearly a week. That can't be good."

Harley relaxes. "A little more than a week. Ten days. I'm sure crane will pull a b-man soon enough."

Chances reply was cut off by knocking from the door. Harley quickly answers it to find crane.

"I'm here for ch... I mean Michelle."

Chance shrugs. "You can call me chance. I'm sick of fighting the nickname."

Harley sqeaks with delight.

"I knew it would stick."

Crane pushes past Harley and enters the room.

"Fine then. Chance, it's time for your next lesson."

She sits back and crosses her arms. "I thought we were past 'fixing' me."

Crane pulls her to her feet. Harley is fuming across the room.

"Over the last week you have had no regret or remorse over what you did. You would make an excellent pupil. In fact, if it weren't for the incident in ten days, I would have loved to make you my next apprentice. But since that isn't going to happen, I'll teach you what I can with the time allotted."

She shrugs and walks out of the room. As crane is leaving, Harley stops him.

"Whats with your latest load of bull?"

Crane pushes her away. "It isn't a lie. I'm sick of petty revenge. If I could, I would make her the next face of fear..with some work of corse. But for now, I'll do my best. I'm done with getting in your head. It's a waste of my energy."

Crane walks past her and after chance.

As chance stares at the live feed on the tv, she doesn't notice crane comeing down the stairs until he puts his hand on her back.

He guides her to the basement. Chance thinks about the unconscious man on the tv.

Can you really kill again? Do you feel bad? Not really. She deserved it. Didn't she?

As they went down the stairs, chance speaks up while crane unlocks the door.

"So what's this guys...?"

Crane chuckles. "It's one you can help me with. He'll be out for an hour, you get to assist in setting the scene."

"Scene?" Crane smiles and turns to her.

"Today you learn how to strike fear without the toxin. This subject has a crippling fear of dolls."

He opens the door and a thought pops into chances head.

"What did you mean I can assist with his fear?"

Crane walks into the room and chance follows him before he closes the door behind her.

"The fear of dolls originates from a fear of lifelike objects. Surreal. Based on your size, you'd make a nice human doll."

Chance freezes as he picks up a duffel bag next to the unconscious man on the floor.

"This isn't going to hurt me, is it?"

"Of corse not." Chance walks over to crane as he digs thru the bag.

"But you said that last time and I got hair pulled and my wrist..."

"Which happened because you defied me. Do as your told and instead of getting injured, you'll learn."

He pulls out a dress and tosses it at chance. She examines it, pale blue, checkered, short, very old.

"What is it with blue?"

He turns back to the bag. "I like that color on you. Get changed."

She sees him pulling several porcelain dolls. Chance walks over to a corner by the wall and gets changed.

She looks down at the old dress. Crane walks up and grabs her old dress from the floor. She turns and sees him stuff it in the bag.

"How is this going to kill him?"

Crane huffs. "It won't. But once he is overcome with fear, I will administer the formula. Here."

He hands her a makeup kit and a doll. He points to the doll. "Make yourself look like that."

Chance sits on the floor and frowns as she opens the kit. Not quite sure what to do.

It's easy, not like doing something subtle. It's all exaggerated. So what if your old makeup routine only consists of mascerra. It's not like you needed it in arkham.

As she tries to falsify her face, crane sets up several dolls along the walls of the room. Once finished, chance smiles at her appearance in the mirror.

Not bad. Thank goodness for never being an outdoors person. Thank you paleness! For once, looking like a vampire has simplified something.

Looking around, chance notices an empty space in the line of dolls as he pulls out his mask.

"What now?"

Crane turns to chance and smiles. "It's only a matter of minutes. Sit in the space over there on your knees so your legs are hidden. Then once he's up, sing something old. And try to be scary. When you see my signal, have him turn to me. Understood?"

Chance nods and walks over to the space and positions herself between the dolls as crane slips out the door and presses a button that causes the light to flicker.

A minute later the man stirs and chance stiffens. "Hello? Who's there? Where am I?"

Chance smirks and starts singing in the best broken and girly whisper she could manage. "Ma-ry had a li-ttle lamb li-ttle lamb li-ttle lamb..." As she sings, the man realizes his surroundings and begins to panic as he looks at all the dolls.

He runs to the door only to realize that it's locked. He freezes and turns to chance. "Hello?"

He slowly walks over to chance with a terrified expression. She notices that behind him the door cracks open and crane slips into a shadowy corner with a gas canister. Chance gulps as the man gets on his knees to look at chance, almost in disbelief that she's real.

"Are you ok?" Chance smiles as crane quietly walks up behind the man. She turns back to him and looks the man in the eyes as he nervously takes her hand.

"I'm fine...but you arent."

He looks at her with a confused expression as she simply points behind him at crane.

The man turns around and gets wide eyed as crane sets off the gas and tosses the canister into the mans lap. Frozen with fear, he doesn't attempt to get rid of it as the room fills with the toxin. Within minutes, he turns to chance and starts screaming as she stands up and walks beside crane.

He pats her head as the man goes into the fetal position and starts rocking.

"The eyes...stop looking at me! Their after me! Oh g...their alive! Get away from me!"

Chance let's out a giggle at the absurdity of it. Her smile drops as she feels a pang of guilt.

Stacey deserved it but what about this guy?!

Chance gulps and crane looks down at her. "What did he do to deserve this?"

Crane shakes his head and looks back at the man withering on the floor.

"Serial killer. Killed two dozen young women in their homes. Got out on the good ol insanity plea. Well..I do suppose that fits now. I appologize but it is difficult to find too many worthy of experimentation in the city's current condition."

"Serial killer?" Crane doesnt reply but simply continues to watch the man on the floor.

"So how long before?"

Crane shakes his head. "Soon. He was already in a fearful state prior. That combined with his age..."

Chance realizes the man is older than she thought. Mid fifties maybe. After a few minutes the man freezes and gets wide eyed. He looks over at chance before collapsing to the ground.

Chance frowns at him. "All this...for that?"

Crane removes his mask and wraps his arm around her then pulls her closer to him. He looks down at her and smiles. "A bit disappointing, wouldn't you agree?"

Chance meets his eyes and shrinks back as they bore into hers. His smile grows and chance gulps as she shrinks further away from his gaze. The only thing preventing her from falling is his grip around her. Crane leans in closer to her and tightens his grip.

"You laughed earlier. What was so funny?"

Chance tries to wiggle free. "It's just that..the lights are flickering, I'm dressed as a doll, and you had a sack on your head. It's pretty funny. Sounds like something from a Tim Burton movie."

Cranes smile vanishes and he scowls at her. Chance begins trembling. "What's so funny about my mask?!"

Chance gulps. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."

Crane raises an eyebrow and smiles. "This is Intresting Michelle. You're absolutely terrified of me right now. What should I do with this knowledge?" Chance begins clawing at his arm to release her.

"Let me go!" He releases his grip and let's her fall down. She gets up and makes a run for the door only to get pulled back by her wrist. He grabs her by her hair and pulls down, forcing her to look at him.

"Now Michelle, if I am to make you like me, you can't be afraid of ANYTHING. Let alone me."

Chance squeezes her eyes shut to avoid his stare. "I'm sorry."

Crane lets go of her hair and grabs her face instead.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you. It's just rude to pretend I'm not here. And while on the subject, you've been swearing since you got here. It's a rotten habit. Stop it from now on. Learn some manners or else we might have to repeat our first date and I might not be so kind. Got it?!"

Chance opens her eyes and nods as tears fall down her cheeks. He let's go of her and storms out of the basement.

"TAKE CARE OF THE MESS!"

Chance slowly turns to the body and feels a wave of nausea. She slowly walks over to the body and taps it with her foot like a ten year old. She holds her breath and grabs his arm. She pulls with all her strength and he moves...a foot. Chance lets go and struggles to catch her breath.

What the hell is he thinking?! I'm a foot shorter and I'm probably half this guys weight. How am I supposed to get him out of here? Come to think of it, how does crane get rid of these bodies?

Chance reaches down and grabs his leg. As she closes her eyes and pulls, she notices he is much lighter than a moment ago. She looks to her right to find Harley dragging the other leg.

"What are you doing here?"

Harley shrugs as they drag him to the stairs. "I heard him yelling at you so I thought you could use some help."

"How do you guys get rid of bodies?"

Harley beams a smile. "Usually we pay someone to. Or get them to then kill em. Depends who you ask. Personally? I enjoy messing with them before shooting them. Make them think their safe then...Bam! It's funner that way."


	9. The apprentice and the bomb

Things quieted down over the next few days. Chance didn't show any fear and decided it was in her best intrest not to reject him if he occasionally got a little too close. She had the plan with Harley down to a t. So chance was surprised how fast the days had gone by when it finally came time to initiate the plan the last night before Gotham turns into a smoking crater.

At ten, chance was ready to play hers, and one of the most important, parts of the plan. As she tip toed down the stairs, she noticed crane was sitting with his head leaning back on the couch. She was sure he was asleep with his eyes closed, that is until he heard a step squeak.

"What do you want?"

Chance takes a deep breath before bounding down the steps and sitting next to crane on the couch. After making sure his eyes were still closed, chance composes her face.

"I'm just scared. I don't wanna die. You were just starting to teach me. Now I'm gonna die and nobody's gonna care cause I was in arkham, Gotham is Americas dirty little secret. Is it ok if I stay here, next to you tonight?"

Crane smirks. "I don't see why not."

Chance stands up. "So, I'm gonna get a glass of water, do you want one?"

"Very much yes."

Chance smiles to herself as she gets two glasses of water and drops the pill into one.

Tomorrow is the day.

She returns to the couch and sits down. She hands crane the water.

"What's wrong?"

He opens his eyes and looks at chance.

"I've attempted to teach others my work before. They either betrayed me or didn't grasp it's true meaning. I'm sure you could have been my ideal apprentice. You learn fast, your immune, your willing to accept changes in your moral core, I've put so much work into you, right now you're practically a blank slate, open to molding and learning. You remind me of myself. If we somehow live, would you be my first true apprentice?"

Chance bites her lip. "You can be too close sometimes."

Crane surprises her by chuckling. "That was for intimidation and manipulation only. I have no intrest physically, him on the other hand..."

Chance relaxes a bit. "Um, ok. I guess so."

The next morning chance woke up in her room before sunrise. She runs to her closet and pulls on the black tank top and tights Harley had picked out and pulls her hair in a ponytail. She walks down the hallway and knocks on harleys door. She answers in her costume with a smile.

"Ok I've got everything we need. We should go...you've got a life to restart and I've got my puddin to get back to. Maybe I'll say hi to red on the way...and stop by that new store in the mall...I need a new nightgown."

Chance follows Harley down the stairs and past the unconscious crane to the door. The courtroom was empty due to the mass panic. As they open the door Harley signals for chance to keep quiet as she whips out two needles and stabs both sniper guards in the back of their necks. Harley pauses to look at one of the guards.

"Floyd! I wondered who was guarding me...figures. Knew he loved me!"

Chance doesn't bother to ask as Harley quickly runs to the nearby bridge. Once they reach the bridge, they stop to catch their breath in the cold. An explosion across town kicks them back into action. Harley leads the way climbing up the support beams with chance close behind.

After an hour, they switch directions as they climb across the bottom of the bridge. After a few hours with only quick breaks, they are halfway across and decide to stop again.

"How much longer?"

"Relax chance it's only another two hours. Then we live!" Harleys head shoots up in the direction of talking behind them.

"But they're children!"

Chance yawns and they get back to moving. After a while, there was a very loud explosion and the bridge shook. They picked up speed and finished their way across the bridge.

Once across, they welcomed the road out of Gotham by hugging the sign to metropolis as Harley checked her watch.

"In five...four...three...two..."

Rather than watching Gotham turn into a mushroom, in the distance, the ocean mushroomed. Once confident Gotham was safe, chance falls to her knees and screams at the city.

"No! You can't do that! Gotham has to go! Crane can't still be around after the hell I've been thru! Harley, I'm dead! I'm totally dead!"

Harley looks at chance in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Chance looks up at Harley.

"The good ol doc is going to follow me now! He's gonna make me his apprentice! Sure it's cool and all but..."

Harley sits down next to chance. "If you still start over in metropolis, he wont find you. Everything's ok."

Chance smiles weakly.

Well, at least now you can start over. Get a job, an appartment, a boyfriend. But do you really want that? You could be the apprentice of the scarecrow! No. I've had enough of crazies. It's time for something normal...and boring. And boring. And boring. And boring.


End file.
